Kostandia
Kostandia (Augustan: Κοστανδϊα), previously known as Kostandian Bay (Augustan: Golfeto de Kostandiano) is the largest city in the Zardic State of Unkaso, and it is home to an estimated 9 million people. The city is named after Hadrian Kostandian and largely built in the 2600's by the Kostandian Government. The Kostandian Family's influence never wanned within the political landscape of Zardugal and as a result Kostandian Bay has benefited greatly from government grants, building projects, loans and other items to make it one of the most remarkable cities in all of Terra. In recent centuries Kostandian Bay has moved past its founding by Kostandian Family and is now one of the main economic engines in Zardugal. It is home to a major naval base and Kostandian Bay Maritime Corporation, one of the largest corporations in Zardugal which employs tens of thousands of people. History There have long been settlements in the Kostandian Bay area since Zardugal was first settled. The bay itself has long drawn local and regional sea traffic. However despite the importance of the bay, no one settlement held power or sway in the area and several towns grew rich as the centuries wore on. By modern times the population of the area was staring to dramatically increase as a result of loser immigration policies, its growing role as a major military centre and its location as a trade hub given its proximity to the southern continent of Vascania. Demographics Given the large and metropolitan nature of KB, the city has a large and diverse demographic situation. Ethnic Augustans represent a plurality in the city but there are also large groups of Vascanians, Dovani peoples and Majatrans with other groups forming local ethnic neighborhoods. Ethnicity: -Augustan: 39% -Vascanian: 21% -Dovani: 18% -Solentian: 12% -Kalopian: 7% -Majatran: 2% -Other: 1% Religiously the city is also very diverse with numerous different churches, mosques and other religious houses of worship. Once again the Terran Patriarchal Church is the largest faith and other Hosian denomination include the Aurorian Patriarchal Church, Bishopalism, and various other Hosian faiths. The city also boasts sizeable Yeudi and Ahmadi sects as well given the diverse ethnic presence in the city. Hosian~ 77% -TPC: 43% -Apostolic Church of the East: 22% -APC: 10% -Bishopal: 5% -Other Hosian: 2% Ahmadism: 13% Yeudism: 6% Other/Agnostic/Atheist: 4% Media Kostandian Bay is home to one of Zardugal's major media markets and is a hub of culture and information. Currently the city has two main newspapers, the Kostandian Bay Herald and the Kostandian Bay Times. Other local newspapers include the Kostandian Bay Beacon, an alternative news publication, the Daily Bay News, a paper focused more on the outside and suburban areas and the last minor newspaper is the Bay Tribune. Together, these 5 newspapers represent over 90% of total circulation in the city. On television, the local stations are KBYV, KBXW, and KBCD with a local publically owned television network the Kostandian Bay Public Network. Several major national networks have studios located in the city along with some bureaus from abroad. The continent news organization, the Majatran Broadcasting Union has a major bureau in the city along with the Zardic News Network (which has its HQ here) and the Zardic Broadcasting Corporation. The city is also home to other major publications as well including the nationally distributed Zardic Business Times, the conservative Zardugal Now weekly magazine and the nationalist Our Home bi-weekly publication. On the left side of the spectrum various publications include the Zardic People's Weekly, the National Workers Standard Review and the hard left wing Peaceful Zard. Education Kostandian Bay is home to a large body of public and private schools at all levels to serve the broad population of the city. Primary Education Kostandian Bay Public Schools (KBPS) is the single largest education "company/group" in the city. It serves some 100,000 students annually spread across 46 elementary schools, 23 middle schools, and 12 high schools along with partnering with 5 different charter schools to provide specialized school services and 3 higher learning technical centres. Unique to KBPS is that it also runs the 5 community colleges that serve an additional 20,000 students. Private schools abound in the city from the prestigious Kostandian Bay Colligate School and the Bay School for Learning to various religious schools and smaller private schools. All totaled some 50 various private schools provide educational services for some 40,000 students across the city. Higher Education There are several levels of colleges and universities that populate the city and serve an estimated 200,000 students. Local, state and federal research centres and universities are all present in the city along with several private institutions as well. Kostandian Bay City College The KBCC is separate from the community colleges but is still administered by the city. It focuses on providing a education for the bulk of the city and provides numerous benefits and assistance to lower and middle class citizens who need college. University of Unkaso, Kostandian Bay The University of Unkaso, Kostandian Bay is the city's largest public univeristy and serves nearly 35,000 students for undergraduate studies and 5500 students enrolled in postgraduate studies. It is also the largest univeristy in the Univeristy of Unkaso System. Politics and Government Governance The city is governed under a Mayor-Council system with an independently elected mayor and a 55 member City Assembly which handles local legislative needs. The Mayor is elected every 5 years in line with the Presidential elections and can serve unlimited terms. The Kostandian Bay City Court is the lowest court level in the area and responsible for the bulk of judicial needs for the city. KB is also home to the Federal District Court, Kostandian Bay, the related Federal Attorney's Office and the Kostandian Bay Federal Compound, a centre consisting of most federal government services most having to deal with the port system. Politics The City has long had a liberal to left wing streak as part of its history and sheer size in the Zardic political field. However in modern day politics the city is under the vice like grip of the Zardic People's Party who have positioned themselves as the successor to the old Federal Republican Party of Zardugal which had its party base here and is still held in high historical regard.The currently all elected offices (Mayor, Chairman of the Assembly, District Attorney and Sherrif) are held by the ZPP along with all the seats in the City Assembly. Transportation The city is very interconnected from a vibrant and active subway/public transit system to inter-city rail to world class airports and port facilities. Public Transit The city has one of the best rated public transit systems in the nation, with a well funded and operated bus and subway system. Over 200 buses provide services to nearly 500,000 people on a daily basis taking them all across the city with some routes running into the suburban areas surrounding the city. The subway/light rail line is one of the most modern in Majatra and serves over 1 million riders daily. The two main lines start at Kostandian Bay Central Terminal located in the western part of the city with the Red Line moving east and then south hitting the upscale residential neighborhoods and the dockyards and then swinging back east hitting downtown and Kostandian Bay International Airport. The Blue Line starts out moving moving west-south west hitting the bulk of the residential and commerical districts along with hitting the smaller Connor Therim International Airport before moving to the coast swinging north hitting the recreational areas of the beach before merging with the Red Line in the port district. Hitting the more populated districts, the Blue Line sees higher ridership. KonRail KonRail is the name of the light rail service which runs from the Port District and then under the Red Line through downtown (with a stop there and another 2 along the way) before shooting straight out into the surrounding suburban and metropolitan areas. The innovative project was completed in 3719 and intital fears thought the rail system would fail because of it riding directly underneath the Subway System and the redundancy of the stops however as the surburban areas have grown the light rail link has become a vital part of the city rail system. Airports The city is served by two major airports, Kostandian Bay International Airport and Connor Therim International Airport. KBIA handles most air traffic coming from northern Majatra like Vanuku and Beityhnu and some Artanian travel from places like Rutania and Dorvik and Aloria. Because of the higher volume from these airports, KBIA is the bigger and more well known airport. Connor Therim International (CTIA) is the main airport handling most flights from Cobura, Jakania, Deltaria and farther east in Istalia and Solentia. The airport is smaller and services less traffic but it has grown in recent years given Zardic contacts in the area along with being a key air route for the fleeing of refugees from eastern and Central Majatra. Category:Cities of Zardugal Category:Unkassa Category:Cities